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Burger King is offering "Burgers for Breakfast," which include its Whoppers, Cheeseburgers and Big King sandwiches, as well as its Original Chicken Sandwich, french fries and apple pie. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

Burger King has some new additions to its breakfast menu -- its flame-broiled burgers.

The Miami-based chain says its "Burgers at Breakfast" menu includes its Whoppers, Cheeseburgers and Big King sandwiches, as well as its Original Chicken Sandwich, french fries and apple pie. The items are offered alongside the chain's normal breakfast menu.

Burger King Worldwide Inc. said in an email that more than 5,000 locations will participate in the program. The company said it began rolling out earlier this month but did not say whether it would be available permanently or for a limited time.

The rollout was first reported by the website BurgerBusiness.com.

Burger King's move comes as fast-food chains look to tap into the growing breakfast category. Most notably, Taco Bell recently launched its national breakfast menu by poking fun at McDonald's in TV ads. But finding success in the morning isn't necessarily easy for new players.

Wendy's Co., for instance, recently gave up on testing breakfast and says it doesn't plan to pursue it again anytime soon.

In a phone interview, Wendy's CEO Emil Brolick noted that people tend to be "entrenched" in their morning habits and that they seem "pretty happy with the offerings they have in the marketplace."

McDonald's, meanwhile, remains the leader in breakfast with its popular Egg McMuffins, Hot Cakes and other items. Fans of McDonald's breakfast have long wanted it to be available beyond normal breakfast hours, and executives have tinkered with some options.

McDonald's US sales flat in April

McDonald's says a key
sales metric was flat in April in the U.S., as the world's largest
hamburger chain worked to fend off competitors and improve service in
its restaurants.

McDonald's has rolled out seasoned french fries in select markets. (AP Photo/McDonald's)

Over the past year,
McDonald's executives have also conceded that the chain introduced too
many items too quickly, which resulted in slower service and inaccurate
orders. But CEO Don Thompson has said the company is working with
franchisees to address those problems, in part by ensuring restaurants
have appropriate staffing.

Looking ahead, the company plans to
underscore popular items like the Big Mac in advertising. It's also
emphasizing its breakfast menu as rivals such as Taco Bell look to take a
bigger share of the growing breakfast market.

McDonald's tests seasoned french fries

Starting today, McDonald's says it plans to start testing seasoned french fries at select U.S. locations.

The world's biggest hamburger chain says the test of its "Shakin' Flavor Fries" will take place at restaurants in northern California and St. Louis. Customers will be able to choose garlic Parmesan, spicy Buffalo or zesty ranch flavors.

McDonald's spokeswoman Lisa McComb says the idea came from the company's "Shake Shake" seasoned fries, which debuted in Hong Kong in 2005 before spreading to countries including China, India and Australia.

The website GrubGrade.com had published photos of the seasoned fries at a McDonald's in Stockton, California, on Thursday. The packaging includes directions telling people how to pour the seasoning onto french fries in a bag and shake them.

"As with all tests, we aren't in a position to draw conclusions or make assumptions about the test since it is just beginning but we hope our customers in these two markets enjoy the new flavors," McComb said in an email.

Wendy's profit improves

Wendy's reported a sharply higher profit for its first quarter on Thursday as the hamburger chain saw lower costs and an improvement in sales.

Sales at established
company-owned restaurants climbed 1.3 percent as a result of successful
product promotions and improved traffic at remodeled locations, Wendy's
said.